Are you an Atheist/Believer?

[AYJAYDEE]

I am a 7. Anyone that is less than 7 is either stupid or brainwashed. How can you believe in something like a god that does not exist?

My kids are being raised as Bhuddists and i tolerate that because of my love for my wife.

exactly what is it about buddhism that must be tolerated?

The widespread hypocrisy.

hypocrisy isnt limited to religious folks. athiests can be hypocrites too. buddhism can be practiced honestly. you dont have much faith in your kids.

[stat088]

I am a 7. Anyone that is less than 7 is either stupid or brainwashed. How can you believe in something like a god that does not exist?

My kids are being raised as Bhuddists and i tolerate that because of my love for my wife.

exactly what is it about buddhism that must be tolerated?

The widespread hypocrisy.

hypocrisy isnt limited to religious folks. athiests can be hypocrites too. buddhism can be practiced honestly. you dont have much faith in your kids.

I didn't say it was limited to religious folks.

I have faith in my kids and their Mother.

I am not overly concerned about them being Buddhists. Any other religion i would not tolerate.

[Nepal4me]

I am a 7. How can you believe in something like a god that does not exist?

From one "7" to another, I'll answer your rhetorical question.

People believe in what they were taught to believe in when they were kids. It clearly is a gigantic mental leap to escape from that indoctrination. The majority of people that were raised "believing", be it Islam, Mormonism or Scientology, just keep on believing. Today with the ubiquity of the internet, more people can see that it's all chicanery and can see that many other people are also atheists so it's easier for them to come out.

All religions are absurd but some, like Mormonism are really funny. Joe Smith was a horny bugger and just wanted to bang as many girls as he could and he pulled it off.... amazing. But today, all those Mormonism lies have been proven to be lies. I wonder now if Mormon's just identify themselves as Mormons in a cultural way, rather than in a believing way. I don't know, I live in Bangkok not Utah.

I saw a poll that suggested 80% of Jews are atheists. This makes some sense, they have on average higher IQ's than any other group of people in the world, especially the Ashkenazi Jews so logically they would be highly atheistic. Every Jew I know says, "I'm a Jew, I identify myself as a Jew, culturally I'm a Jew but I don't believe in any of that fairy tale stuff". Even Rabbis often are avowed atheists and can still comfortably lead Synagogues.

I'm the OP and started this thread almost 1 year ago and just realized it's still around. Actually this is my first response to the thread.

[JetsetBkk]

Jesus Christ died for our sins guys...come on!

Pity about your moniker.

[JetsetBkk]

I am a 7. Anyone that is less than 7 is either stupid or brainwashed. How can you believe in something like a god that does not exist?

My kids are being raised as Bhuddists and i tolerate that because of my love for my wife.

I am a 7. Anyone that is less than 7 is either stupid or brainwashed. How can you believe in something like a god that does not exist

?

Buddhists do not believe in a god.

Buddhism is not a religion.

PS. I'm a number 8: Antitheist.

Edited February 7, 2015 by JetsetBkk

[notmyself]

Buddhists do not believe in a god.

Buddhism is not a religion.

Not all religions are theistic in nature. Another example would be Jainism.

[sirineou]

Buddhists do not believe in a god.

Buddhism is not a religion.

Not all religions are theistic in nature. Another example would be Jainism.

very true , but for the purpose of this Thread "

"Are you an Atheist/Believer?"

it is theistic religions that we are talking about and Buddhism, though it may be many things, is not one of them

[notmyself]

Buddhists do not believe in a god.

Buddhism is not a religion.

Not all religions are theistic in nature. Another example would be Jainism.

very true , but for the purpose of this Thread "

"Are you an Atheist/Believer?"

it is theistic religions that we are talking about and Buddhism, though it may be many things, is not one of them

Indeed, which is why it was not mentioned for over 50 pages.

[AYJAYDEE]

Buddhists do not believe in a god.

Buddhism is not a religion.

PS. I'm a number 8: Antitheist.

buddhists believe in many gods

[canuckamuck]

Buddhism contains multiple plains of spiritual existence. Some of these creatures live for hundreds of thousands of years. Though they may not have a specific God, considering there has been more than 1 Buddha, they do carry on like the last Buddha does personal intercede for them.

So they are not precisely theistic, but they are certainly believers. So in regards to the title of the thread I guess you can call them Atheist believers.

Where does that fit on the scale?

Edited February 8, 2015 by canuckamuck

[JetsetBkk]

Buddhists do not believe in a god.

Buddhism is not a religion.

PS. I'm a number 8: Antitheist.

buddhists believe in many gods

Correct.

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/budgod.html :

Did the Buddha believe in God, the One God of the desert, the God of the Christians, Jews and Muslims?

Well... No... He didn't... Monotheism (only one God) was a foreign concept to the Buddha, his world was filled with many gods. The creator god Brahma being the most important one.

At the time of the Buddha, the only people practicing the religion of the One God of the desert, were the Jews. Remember, it was still 500 years before Christ came into the world.

[sirineou]

Buddhists do not believe in a god.

Buddhism is not a religion.

PS. I'm a number 8: Antitheist.

buddhists believe in many gods

Correct.

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/budgod.html :

Did the Buddha believe in God, the One God of the desert, the God of the Christians, Jews and Muslims?

Well... No... He didn't... Monotheism (only one God) was a foreign concept to the Buddha, his world was filled with many gods. The creator god Brahma being the most important one.

At the time of the Buddha, the only people practicing the religion of the One God of the desert, were the Jews. Remember, it was still 500 years before Christ came into the world.

Buddhism is not concerned with the concept of God

I remember a parable Buddha told one of his followers when asked about God, it has being a long time since it was told to me, please forgive me if I am not telling it correctly, if any one who know it could provide the correct version or link to it

it would be appreciated , anyway:

A traveler is traveling trough the country and is attacked by robbers and wounded

as he lays on the side of the road and other traveler comes upon him.

please help me the wounded traveler asks,

sure says the other but first who attacked you.

The wounded traveler explained and again asked for help

Sure said the other traveler but first, what did the robbers look like

The wounded traveler described them and again asked for help

Sure said the other traveler but can you give me some additional information about the robbers

By that time the wounded traveler died of his wounds

The Buddha is interested in alleviating suffering in this life ,for him the question of God is not of interest .it is a distraction

[GinBoy2]

I am a 7. Anyone that is less than 7 is either stupid or brainwashed. How can you believe in something like a god that does not exist?

My kids are being raised as Bhuddists and i tolerate that because of my love for my wife.

In Buddhism there isn't a God, so i'm confused by your statement

[stat088]

I am a 7. Anyone that is less than 7 is either stupid or brainwashed. How can you believe in something like a god that does not exist?

My kids are being raised as Bhuddists and i tolerate that because of my love for my wife.

In Buddhism there isn't a God, so i'm confused by your statement

I used God for those religions that do have a

God. In regard to buddhism i think it is okay but i find most buddhists hypocrites.

[AYJAYDEE]

Buddhism contains multiple plains of spiritual existence. Some of these creatures live for hundreds of thousands of years. Though they may not have a specific God, considering there has been more than 1 Buddha, they do carry on like the last Buddha does personal intercede for them.

So they are not precisely theistic, but they are certainly believers. So in regards to the title of the thread I guess you can call them Atheist believers.

Where does that fit on the scale?

the lay people might believe in intercession but the tripitaka does not teach that at all.

[canuckamuck]

Buddhism contains multiple plains of spiritual existence. Some of these creatures live for hundreds of thousands of years. Though they may not have a specific God, considering there has been more than 1 Buddha, they do carry on like the last Buddha does personal intercede for them.

So they are not precisely theistic, but they are certainly believers. So in regards to the title of the thread I guess you can call them Atheist believers.

Where does that fit on the scale?

the lay people might believe in intercession but the tripitaka does not teach that at all.

If you are talking about a purist form of Buddhism, you have a point. But where are these fundamental followers? You would be hard pressed to find them in most of Thailand, or SE Asia for that matter, although I am sure they're here. For the other 99...% They are following a religion filled with spiritual entities.

[AYJAYDEE]

Buddhism contains multiple plains of spiritual existence. Some of these creatures live for hundreds of thousands of years. Though they may not have a specific God, considering there has been more than 1 Buddha, they do carry on like the last Buddha does personal intercede for them.

So they are not precisely theistic, but they are certainly believers. So in regards to the title of the thread I guess you can call them Atheist believers.

Where does that fit on the scale?

the lay people might believe in intercession but the tripitaka does not teach that at all.

If you are talking about a purist form of Buddhism, you have a point. But where are these fundamental followers? You would be hard pressed to find them in most of Thailand, or SE Asia for that matter, although I am sure they're here. For the other 99...% They are following a religion filled with spiritual entities.

I am not hard pressed to find them at all.

[canuckamuck]

Not sure if your comment implies you are not looking for them, or that they are not hard to find.

If you mean the latter, then I have to take your word for it, though I assume you are including westerners who are much more likely to practice without the inclusion of nagas and such.

[AYJAYDEE]

Not sure if your comment implies you are not looking for them, or that they are not hard to find.

If you mean the latter, then I have to take your word for it, though I assume you are including westerners who are much more likely to practice without the inclusion of nagas and such.

they are not hard to find period. westerner or thai. but then, rather than thai bash, I take the time to look.

[canuckamuck]

Some will see Thai bashing in every post I guess.

I am describing my observations of the state of Buddhism in this part of the world, not only Thailand. My observations are that the Buddhism you see here is deeply rooted in animism and other spiritual miscellany. I have not gone on a quest to falsify my observations, but I am quite confident that what I have seen in the last 11 years is representative. You apparently have had a different experience.

[AYJAYDEE]

Some will see Thai bashing in every post I guess.

I am describing my observations of the state of Buddhism in this part of the world, not only Thailand. My observations are that the Buddhism you see here is deeply rooted in animism and other spiritual miscellany. I have not gone on a quest to falsify my observations, but I am quite confident that what I have seen in the last 11 years is representative. You apparently have had a different experience.

just not as shallow

[geronimo]

There is no creator. Religions were formed to keep the masses in line and also to cater for the deep rooted desire that humans possess to belong to something. Buddhism is not a religion, it is a philosophy and that should be noted.

[AYJAYDEE]

There is no creator. Religions were formed to keep the masses in line and also to cater for the deep rooted desire that humans possess to belong to something. Buddhism is not a religion, it is a philosophy and that should be noted.

Buddhism fits #4

SAVE

POPULARITY

Dictionary

religion

religion

1

a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion>

b (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

2

: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

3

archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4

: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

— re·li·gion·less adjective

Edited February 10, 2015 by AYJAYDEE

[canuckamuck]

Some will see Thai bashing in every post I guess.

I am describing my observations of the state of Buddhism in this part of the world, not only Thailand. My observations are that the Buddhism you see here is deeply rooted in animism and other spiritual miscellany. I have not gone on a quest to falsify my observations, but I am quite confident that what I have seen in the last 11 years is representative. You apparently have had a different experience.

just not as shallow

You are seeing what you want to see. Obviously my views on rampant superstition in the region are totally without merit.

[AYJAYDEE]

Some will see Thai bashing in every post I guess.

I am describing my observations of the state of Buddhism in this part of the world, not only Thailand. My observations are that the Buddhism you see here is deeply rooted in animism and other spiritual miscellany. I have not gone on a quest to falsify my observations, but I am quite confident that what I have seen in the last 11 years is representative. You apparently have had a different experience.

just not as shallow

You are seeing what you want to see. Obviously my views on rampant superstition in the region are totally without merit.

yeah you got it. all those buddhists are not really practising the religion like I think they are. They just pretend when I'm anywhere near!! lol! and news for ya, the more complex teachings of all religions are not well understood by many if not most of the lay adherents.

Edited February 10, 2015 by AYJAYDEE

[geronimo]

There is no creator. Religions were formed to keep the masses in line and also to cater for the deep rooted desire that humans possess to belong to something. Buddhism is not a religion, it is a philosophy and that should be noted.

Buddhism fits #4

SAVE

POPULARITY

Dictionary

religion

religion

1

a : the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion>

b (1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance

2

: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices

3

archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness

4

: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

— re·li·gion·less adjective

Point taken

[Ulysses G.]

There is no creator.

Sounds like an opinion and one that you can not prove.

[AYJAYDEE]

There is no creator.

Sounds like an opinion and one that you can not prove.

prove a negative? lol.

[sirineou]

There is no creator.

Sounds like an opinion and one that you can not prove.

I can prove it,

just as soon as you can prove there is no tooth fairy .

[geronimo]

There is no creator.

Sounds like an opinion and one that you can not prove.

I can prove it,

just as soon as you can prove there is no tooth fairy .

If we look at it from the perspective that there is no creator, then where is the evidence to shoot that down?.